Jonathan Papelbon ties Phillies franchise saves record in win over New York Mets

PHILADELPHIA — In his first six starts this season, Cole Hamels didn't do much to increase his trade value.

Entering Friday, only three pitchers in all of baseball had given up more than his eight home runs and he was 1-3 with a 4.14 ERA. The New York Mets, whom Hamels has dominated in his last four starts, compiling a 0.93 ERA, might have been just what he needed to set himself straight.

Hamels threw 104 pitches over seven innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out eight as the Phillies topped the Mets 3-1 to begin a 10-game homestand at Citizens Bank Park.

Hamels was dealing for the first three innings, allowing just one hit, a leadoff double in the third. He also hit Daniel Murphy with a pitch in the second.

The only inning he found himself in trouble was the fourth. Hamels struck out former Phillie John Mayberry Jr. to begin the inning before allowing a single. He got a fly out to center for the second out but then gave up a two-out walk and a single. His second wild pitch of the inning brought home New York's only run, tying the game 1-1.

From there, Hamels settled back in and retired the next nine batters before giving up a single in the seventh to Catasauqua's Anthony Recker, who pinch-hit for Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey.

The key for Hamels was establishing his pitches on the inside of the plate.

"The game plan for what I saw they were kind of doing for the past week, that was the game plan right now," Hamels said. "I know it's not always the same, it changes, they make adjustments, but kind of what I saw, that's what I needed to do in order to make the game more my game. And obviously try to not let them get extended and hit the long ball out of the yard like I've given up in the past."

The Phillies didn't waste time getting on the scoreboard. Their second batter of the night, Freddy Galvis, singled and stole second and then Ryan Howard knocked him in for a 1-0 lead.

With the Mets putting on a defensive shift for Howard, Galvis got to third as soon as the pitch was thrown and scored with Howard singling into the shift.

"It's basically a foot race to third base, even if the guy is going to cover," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Freddy had the green light to go ahead and take off there and came up big scoring on Howard's infield hit."

The next time Howard came to the plate, the shift didn't come into play. The first baseman hit the first pitch of the fourth inning, a 95 mph fastball from Harvey, just over the wall in left-center field, giving the Phillies a 2-1 advantage.

While a go-ahead home run is always crucial, the timing made it even more important, coming minutes after Hamels had surrendered the lead.

"To see that swing to left-center field from Howie, he's really starting to look good and have good swings," Sandberg said. "To bounce right back against Harvey, it kept the momentum on our side. It kept Cole out there pitching with the lead."

Howard is beginning to heat up — he's batting .295 with seven runs, five homers, 11 RBIs and four walks in his last 12 games — although that's not the case for everyone.

Cody Asche went 0-for-3 and is hitless in his last 20 at-bats and Chase Utley extended his streak without a hit to 19 at-bats.

Sandberg thought giving Utley a mental break —sitting the second baseman Tuesday and Wednesday games getting a third day of rest with the off day Thursday — would help. It didn't.

Despite being upbeat and sticking to his routine, Utley continued to struggle at the plate, going 0-for-4, grounding into a double play his last at-bat and lowering his season average to .099.

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save, his 112th as a Phillie, tying him with Jose Mesa for the most in franchise history.

"It means a lot, actually," Papelbon said. "A lot of people may or may not think that but it really does mean a lot. … For me it's really humbling to be at the top in this organization, especially in this organization with all the history that it has."

Notes: Mets RHP Dillon Gee was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a groin injury. Gee was to pitch Sunday against the Phillies but RHP Bartolo Colon will get the start. … With at least three runs of support while pitching, Hamels is 9-0 since the start of 2014. … The loss by New York ended a four-game winning streak against the Phillies.